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Residents move out as mice infest block of flats

One woman saw 10 mice on her balcony, another has found droppings and mouse damage around her home

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by Charlotte Turner

07:38, 28 Sep 2017Updated07:41, 28 Sep 2017

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A block of flats has become infested with mice with one family forced to move into a hotel, another finding six dead mouse around their home and one woman watching mice crawl through the room where her husband had recently died.

The housing accociation responsible says it is working hard to keepo mice away from residents' homes.

Laura Upton who lives on the top floor of the block has been forced to move out of her flat with her one-year-old daughter Morgan, because she’s so terrified of the rodents.

Her boiler has also stopped working, which she fears may be down to mice nibbling at the cables or blocking up the vents.

(Image: Penny Cross )

PCH have told Laura they are doing all they can – but so far nothing seems to have helped in her flat.

“I didn’t know there was a problem until pest control knocked on my door a month ago, but then around 10 days later I saw a mouse in my kitchen,” said 21-year-old Laura, who has lived in the flat for a year and a half.

“I saw a few more over the weekend and called PCH. They came and put four boxes and poison down in the bedroom and in the front room but I’ve had to block those areas off so my child can’t get to it.

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“There were droppings on the floor, I feel ill about it – you can hear them scratching and chewing the carpet. I’ve done this flat up and paid for my furniture, made it our home – we shouldn’t have to be living with mice.

“PCH have said I can put in a compensation form about the bits of damage but what about the emotional suffering?”

There are piles of dropping around Laura's boiler and the carpet has been chewed away in places.

As a result Laura and her daughter moved into a Travelodge for 24 hours and are now staying with their in-laws until something is done to eradicate the mice.

On the ground floor, Norita Chown has spotted the rodents too, but she’s found a way to block up their entry points so they can’t get back in.

The 76-year-old who has lived at Coxside for over 40 years, said: “I saw one come out from under my TV – I was shocked. I don’t like them, they’re not very nice.

“I have only seen two of them in here but if you’ve got two you’ve got loads because they’re having babies somewhere.

“I put down mice poison but I haven’t seen any dead. The pest control unit comes and checks every Friday, they’re doing what they can.”

To stop the critters from getting in, Norita has pushed a metal scourer into the holes behind her electric fire.

Vicky Pennington first saw a group of around 10 mice on her balcony around four months ago.

It’s got to the point that her grandson will no longer come and stay with her because of the infestation.

Last week she noticed flies were turning up in her flat, but couldn’t figure out why. She pulled everything out to check for dead mice, but had no luck.

Then she saw a fly behind her TV cabinet – where she discovered the body of a rodent in a drawer.

“It turns your stomach, it’s disgusting,” said Vicky, who has lived in her flat for 35 years.

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“We’ve also given residents advice about the things they can do to help the situation including keeping communal areas clear and free of rubbish.

"As the blocks are by the water and near businesses that generate waste, it is a problem that is difficult to solve but we will continue our efforts to try to keep the mice away from our residents homes.”